In December 2016, former journalist Potter announced the formation of Tarbell, a site to raise awareness of the corrupting influence of money in politics - "reader-funded democracy" - [5] starting with a modest site, with plans for a more serious presence by summer of 2017. In June 2018, the site showed a staff of five (including Potter) and a 9-member board of directors, as well as an advisory board from across the nation.[6]